Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary

Cloud forests make up less than 1% of all forested land around the world. These rare ecosystems are quickly disappearing. One very special cloud forest is in Hawaii, above Kailua Kona. This Hawaiian cloud forest is a biodiverse ecosystem resulting from a unique microclimate unlike anywhere else in Hawaiʻi. The cloud forest extends approximately 50 miles long between 2,500 ft and 5,000 ft elevation on Hualālai Mountain. As opposed to tropical rainforests, which are typically at lower elevations and may receive twice the amount of rainfall or more, cloud forests receive much of their water from the condensation of the clouds onto the leaves, trunks, and branches of the plants and trees. The cloud forest plays an essential role in the Kaloko ahupua’a, replenishing the aquifer, purifying water, keeping our reefs and coastal waters clean, providing refuge to many native species, and supporting much of West Hawaiʻi.